But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know.
— 1 John 2:20
One of the most common questions I receive from people is, “How do I know that I’m doing God’s will?”

Such questions often come after difficult lessons or the emphasis of certain principle commands in the Bible…things like, “Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth” (1 John 3:18). A lot of well-intentioned believers might walk away from reading that verse scratching their heads, wondering exactly how one loves “in deed and truth”. The issue becomes very clear once a person learns to discern the differences between human rationalism and achievement and spiritual guidance. The prior is “human” enough to be understood by even the unbelievers in this world; however, the latter is something reserved for true believers only.

But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.

— 1 Corinthians 2:14

So, to address the question at hand, a believer must first jettison any natural inclination to look for indicators that even unbelievers can identify with. Understanding the fullness of Christ’s love is beyond the grasp of the unbelieving population; therefore, if a believer desires to “love…in deed and truth”, they must first resign attention to worldly thoughts in favor of spiritual ones. Enter the Holy Spirit, the One who Jesus, Himself, promised to send to assist us in answering these kinds of questions. “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you” (John 14:26).

The natural mind plays tricks on us. It’s one of the weaknesses that Satan is able to exploit in human beings - our ability to be confused. Well, God the Holy Spirit is never confused, “for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints” (1 Corinthians 14:33). It makes sense, then, that a believer seeking truth ought to consult the One who’s never wrong, rather than human understanding, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5).

Maybe the better way to approach the question, “How do I know?” is, “Who should I be asking?” In other words, “Should I be defaulting to the faculty that even an unbeliever has, or should I be consulting the Spirit in prayer?” Scripture, as we’ve already seen by hardly even scratching the surface of it, makes it obvious.

The secret to answering your innermost questions regarding God’s will is prayer. The “airwaves” must be free and clear of any worldly static so that we can “hear” what He has to say to us. We must consult the very same God that gave us the commands in the Bible on the topic of “How to”. In context, the Father and the Son have given us commands, and both of these Persons have sent us the Spirit to guide us afterwards. If we reject the gifts of any one of the Trinity, we compromise the plan.

We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight. This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

— 1 John 3:19-24

One might subsequently be asking themselves, “But how, then, do I know if the ‘answers’ I receive in prayer aren’t just my own thoughts overrunning the Spirit’s?” The answer is simple.

God’s Word is self-authenticating. Dwell on that for a time. Repeat it to yourself every time you’re awestruck by the immensity of the Word. If the Word says something is true, then it is. For example, if the Word says that through prayer and intimation, the Spirit will reveal to you the truth of a matter, then expect it to come to pass. Only doubt has the cancerous ability to undermine the manner in which God has ordained our deliverance.

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

— James 1:5-8

In His incarnation, the Word, Jesus Christ (John 1:14), authenticated Himself and His teachings to the Jewish doubters. He taught them that those who are fundamentally committed to His truth will be guided by God in the affirmation of it. In other words, the Word is self-authenticating. An unbeliever will struggle forever with this; however, a believer is adequately equipped to receive this as fact.

But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.

— John 16:13

It turns out that we believers are not to seek the answers we are looking for the same way we used to as unbelievers. Looking back, we realize through the perfect lens of scripture that to do so is absolute folly. To tap a well that simply cannot give us “living water” (John 4:10) is to frustrate oneself indefinitely, for that person will always be thirsty. Contrarily, the humble believer never thirsts for long, for God fills His cup from the wellspring of life, without cost and without end.

As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.

— 1 John 2:27

We ought never be insecure about the “big questions” in the spiritual life…“How this or that?” God has met every one of our needs by grace before we even realize them, and He did so from eternity past. Once a believer possesses the faith to deliver them from their doubts, the entire line of questioning moves from “How?” to a very excited, enthusiastic, hopeful “When?”

It’s too easy to get stuck in analysis paralysis…asking the wrong questions of the wrong counselor. Learn to step back and remember the fundamentals of the spiritual life, knowing that they won’t make any sense to natural mindedness, your own even. Deliverance is often but a change of perspective away.

Relax and enjoy the ride - life’s too short to heap artificial pressures upon oneself. When it’s time to read your spiritual compass, give the Spirit the space to look over your shoulder and point out true north to you. All will be well - so says the self-authenticating Word of God.

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

— Matthew 6:33-34
Love in Christ,

Ed Collins